The 'Beast from the East' returns!

Hopefully just a 'mini' beast if the weather forecasters have it right!
My garden is blanketed with snow, to say it is a 'mini' return it dropped a lot of snow in the process!

To think that on Friday I saw my first Ladybird of the year and earlier in the week a Bumblebee was dotting around the pansy flower pots!

I have had  a sad sight the last few days. During the last week 2 frogs were found dead in my garden and on Saturday (17th) 3 dead frogs found in different areas of a lawn. I wonder if it is one of the foxes that visit, a cat, rat or maybe one of the corvids!
I am setting the camera trap down by the fish pond to see if the 'species' can be caught on camera! No tracks visible this morning due to the snow cover but I doubt much was about with the snow falling throughout the night. The fish pond has never attracted many frogs, maybe that is just as well.

 

                                                          Not a happy gnome!

I cleared an area for ground food, guess which was the first bird to take advantage?

 

Snow, snow go away, Spring is on it's way!

(hopefully) ;-)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gates closed for one day, I now know why!

I had read that Hawfinches had been seen frequenting a park not too far away from my home, so a visit was made to Seth Somers Park in Halesowen.

Seth Somers was the son of an industrialist and he decided that the house, known as the Grange, that he had lived in at various times should be put to a good purpose, he decided that the 25 acre site should be split with 14 acres be made over as a public park and recreation site for all time and the house and remaining land in the hands of Trustees would become a Sports and Social Club.

 

Why was the park closed on the 2nd January each year? I emailed the Trust and received a kind reply to my question.

 

' Seth Somers Park is private land and the way of protecting its right of way to the  public is to lock the gates for one day a year, the Trust chose the 2nd January as families love to walk on New Years Day the 1st.'

 

Now that is good news for local Birders who wish to get out and begin their listing for the year on New Years Day in numerous 'local' areas!

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I have now visited the park twice, once with snow/slush on the ground and the visit on Sunday (11th) in sunshine for the most part.

 

Bird species seen on my first visit were in no particular order:

Blue & Great Tit, L T Tit, Wren, Robin, Blackbird, Song & Mistle Thrush, Great Spotted Woodpecker, Dunnock, Chaffinch, Greenfinch, Goldfinch, Bullfinch, Siskin, Fieldfare, Redwing, Stock Dove, Magpie, Carrion Crow, Jackdaw and Common Buzzard x3.

On my second visit the highlights were numerous Blackbirds, Redwings and Great and Blue Tits. L T Tits, Nuthatch, Great Spotted Woodpecker x2, Green woodpecker heard only, a Kingfisher that took flight along the brook, though not seen by me unfortunately. A Kestrel and 6 Common Buzzards circling above were the remaining highlights! Unfortunately I didn't connect with any Hawfinches that I see are still being reported there.

 

The Pine trees were at times producing dust clouds of pollen when disturbed by squirrels, birds and me shaking a branch or two! Lovely to see Lesser Celandine in flower, Spring is trying to spring!

 

Good to have a new area to explore throughout the changing seasons.

 

 

    NB .....Permissive footpath – this footpath takes you over private land and isn’t a right of way. The landowner has granted permission for the route to be used by the public but they also have the right to withdraw that permission if they choose. The path will often be closed for one day a year in order to protect the landowner against any future claims of continuous public right of way. The date(s) the path is closed for should be well signed in the area.                 

 

This information was taken from https://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/blog/2011/08/rights-of-way/

 

 

 

 

 

 

A new 'bird' on the block!

The Fieldfare that has been resident for the last 3 days in my garden was joined early this morning by what I first thought to be another Fieldfare. This was clearly not to be a friendly meeting as they had a mid-air combat and eventually both ending up in the lying snow beneath the apple tree! Looking through my bins I could see it was a Thrush but not a Fieldfare, it was a Mistle Thrush! As you can see in the images it has an unusual colouration in that it has a few white (leucistic) feathers.

Well, let battle commence! The Mistle Thrush has ended up the victor. The Fieldfare is now, along with the Blackbirds, eating the almost spent apples that have fallen on the ground, that is when the Mistle Thrush allows them to! I thought Fieldfares were aggressive but the Mistle Thrush has taken it's crown for defending food territory!

I have to admit to feeling just a little sorry for the Fieldfare.


                                                 The 'mighty' Mistle Thrush.

 

I wonder if we will have another new 'bird' on the block tomorrow. :-)

Fieldfare frenzy!

You would think reading the title that I had had a flock of Fieldfares in my garden, well I have not...just the one! This one is more than enough in my garden though of course whatever species and quantities that wish to feed in the garden are more than  welcome. The trouble with Fieldfares is that they are so territorial with the food on offer, I can't blame them especially so in the weather conditions we are experiencing. I do feel sorry for the regular Blackbirds that visit the garden as they are not getting a look in, that is until this morning! I have scattered and spiked apples in several places around the garden, the Fieldfare can only be in one place at a time, I have foxed it! ;-)
A lovely bird to see in all seriousness, I shall make the most of this one as they will soon be on their way

My apples were from a local farm shop. They were in a crate marked 'half price', some were a little soft and some just bruised slightly, I asked how much and mentioned they were for the birds. I was told I could take the lot for free, I emptied the crate and  filled 2 carrier bags.How kind was that, it pays you to ask. :-)

Whilst I had a break from writing my post (making a cuppa) a Redwing arrived in the garden though it did not stay for long, maybe it will return. We are having prolonged heavy snow showers and strong winds again this afternoon.

When I see Fieldfares for some reason the film 'Angry Birds' springs to my mind!

 

If you go out walking please remember the wildlife and place a little food here and there.

 

 

The North wind doth blow.....

......and it freezes up my garden pond! The 'Beast from the East' in reality is the culprit.;-)

 

Stay safe out there folks!

 

 

 

February walks.

A couple of walks were enjoyed recently in sunshine but with still a need to wrap up warmly.

18th February.
The first walk was along Caunsall canal. Not many birds seen in all honesty. A Green Woodpecker was busy excavating grubs in a paddock and we had super views of Treecreepers as they flew to and from the trees! A Song Thrush burst into song several times as it seemed to follow us as we walked along the canal path. Long-tailed Tit, Blue & Great and Coal Tit, Robin, Dunnock, Goldcrest, Mistle Thrush, Grey Wagtail, Wren, Moorhen, Coot and Blackbird were the rest of the species seen. Surprisingly no sight or sound of a Nuthatch!

 

25th February                                                                                                  

A walk in Chaddesley Woods was not very productive, Blue Tit x2 and a Common Buzzard overhead were the only sightings! It was a cold morning so I reckon the birds had more sense than me and kept their heads down. However the walk was a  refreshing one.

 

 

 

On the way to the woods I sighted several birds in one of the fields along Woodrow Lane. We stopped on the way home to have a good scan of the field. There was a sizeable flock of Starlings feeding, also good numbers of Fieldfare, I didn't count them as they were scattered along the length of the field, as a rough estimate I would say  maybe 30+. This is the most I have caught up with this winter. A lone Lapwing was also present along with good numbers of Corvids.

 

 

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Meet Jack the Jackdaw who has been a fairly regular visitor to my garden since late Autumn. As you can see he has leucistic feathering. He looks a real treat when in flight but I have yet to get a decent shot of him in flight! My pics are taken from indoors so as not to spook him.

 

 

 

All for now.

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                                                        

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Save the Norfolk 'Coasthopper' bus service!

I have this morning become aware of the possible withdrawal of the Norfolk Coasthopper bus service. I have not used this service on my trips to North Norfolk but know people who have used the service over years gone by and who knows I may in the future require it's services. Such a valuable service to many residents and visitors alike.

Please help to save the Coasthopper by signing the petition.

https://you.38degrees.org.uk/petitions/save-the-coasthopper-bus-service